{"id":443807,"date":"2026-05-11T20:21:16","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T20:21:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/443807\/"},"modified":"2026-05-11T20:21:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T20:21:16","slug":"chelsea-could-tempt-xabi-alonso-to-london-as-liverpool-flounder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/443807\/","title":{"rendered":"Chelsea could tempt Xabi Alonso to London as Liverpool flounder"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Chelsea\u2019s ownership may be prepared to grant Xabi Alonso greater powers of control behind the scenes at the club.<\/p>\n<p>DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL EMPIRE OF THE KOP APP FOR ALL THE LATEST &amp; BREAKING UPDATES \u2013 STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" id=\"m_-6401559073549129608m_6866935022711832742m_-2420324243695157484m_6084015076353954087m_-1072833785499417752m_-158487054450750814m_-8926157990044380504m_6108180196542544938m_-3483024334116369327m_273283968129011435m_-8765215890494613814m_3370596068009038911m_-7340521650846370815m_6735136912243086816m_-4762481131622993881m_6228999986261935596m_-1581208839561340299m_-4407086932923187194m_-8085461640268065012m_-1516522766804921849m_4934608499512611972m_7656667326035352781m_1943161833264620845m_-5365661455645895100m_3642401103025924222m_1301898883053183625m_5755966990167862773m_-3605965066065439536m_-2871522029684908813m_-5045936334160179155m_8836770265151693187m_-6199909121268188047m_5738385890031442092m_-8070609452034486170m_2068858193679271926m_2421758557727462940m_5013395270098310071m_-4705365936723920413m_-8592096763144027308m_6874137003885698578m_6124786456965142709m_3632242749155910164m_-2463900115414480411m_4061676473500844657m_5126948675373515829m_3122006244359249484m_688526202427898988m_-4287901566085760620m_139700534894508600m_-6494603667569086404m_-896042434202128680m_6838495022927989925m_1416376240766951965m_5420109041136822731m_7120484925771682447m_-4980947922319519816m_2542582971102424383gmail-yiv2391416840OWAd0f6bf15-77d9-3530-9754-b52ba5773e08\" href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/gb\/app\/empire-of-the-kop\/id573147755\" target=\"_blank\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/gb\/app\/empire-of-the-kop\/id573147755&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1778393521929000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1rkqrXPu1u5dOa8MOOOmtS\">APPLE<\/a>\u00a0&amp;\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" id=\"m_-6401559073549129608m_6866935022711832742m_-2420324243695157484m_6084015076353954087m_-1072833785499417752m_-158487054450750814m_-8926157990044380504m_6108180196542544938m_-3483024334116369327m_273283968129011435m_-8765215890494613814m_3370596068009038911m_-7340521650846370815m_6735136912243086816m_-4762481131622993881m_6228999986261935596m_-1581208839561340299m_-4407086932923187194m_-8085461640268065012m_-1516522766804921849m_4934608499512611972m_7656667326035352781m_1943161833264620845m_-5365661455645895100m_3642401103025924222m_1301898883053183625m_5755966990167862773m_-3605965066065439536m_-2871522029684908813m_-5045936334160179155m_8836770265151693187m_-6199909121268188047m_5738385890031442092m_-8070609452034486170m_2068858193679271926m_2421758557727462940m_5013395270098310071m_-4705365936723920413m_-8592096763144027308m_6874137003885698578m_6124786456965142709m_3632242749155910164m_-2463900115414480411m_4061676473500844657m_5126948675373515829m_3122006244359249484m_688526202427898988m_-4287901566085760620m_139700534894508600m_-6494603667569086404m_-896042434202128680m_6838495022927989925m_1416376240766951965m_5420109041136822731m_7120484925771682447m_-4980947922319519816m_2542582971102424383gmail-yiv2391416840OWA40aed3c7-226c-3bbb-06b0-8d64d2fc3429\" href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.eotk.mobile&amp;hl=en_GB\" target=\"_blank\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id%3Dcom.eotk.mobile%26hl%3Den_GB&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1778393521929000&amp;usg=AOvVaw03AkLDoXvWvYh0UwfbGteS\">GOOGLE PLAY<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Mark Douglas reports for the <a href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/sport\/football\/chelsea-manager-xabi-alonso-leads-race-4410855\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">iPaper<\/a> that the former Real Madrid head coach could be tempted to take over the vacant head coach position at Stamford Bridge.<\/p>\n<p>Though this would hinge on the Blues abandoning the strategy and balance of power favoured during the reigns of Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior.<\/p>\n<p>Chelsea to tempt Xabi Alonso to Premier League return<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>There are a lot of things we can forgive as Liverpool fans.<\/p>\n<p>But allowing an absolute shambles of a club like Chelsea to steal a march on the pursuit of free agent Alonso ahead of the summer is not one of them.<\/p>\n<p>Want more Empire of the Kop coverage? Add us as a\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=empireofthekop.com\" target=\"_blank\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q%3Dempireofthekop.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1778393521929000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1z9NufbkqnC_ZHlFvI7Wy-\">preferred source on Google<\/a>\u00a0to your favourites list for news you can trust<\/p>\n<p>With <a href=\"https:\/\/www.empireofthekop.com\/2026\/05\/11\/the-fans-have-disconnected-more-criticism-for-arne-slot\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Arne Slot\u2019s time at Anfield surely up<\/a>, this should be an absolute slam dunk for decision-makers at Anfield.<\/p>\n<p>The Spaniard is a rising force in management \u2013 we\u2019ll insist on that point despite what some perceive to be a failed spell at Real Madrid \u2013 and would clearly jump at the opportunity to take the reins at Liverpool.<\/p>\n<p>We know it, you know it, Fenway Sports Group know it, Michael Edwards knows it, and Richard Hughes knows it.<\/p>\n<p>Yet, it seems like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.empireofthekop.com\/2026\/05\/11\/xabi-alonso-to-liverpool-doubt-emerges-over-unexpected-potential-internal-concern\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Chelsea are the only club prepared to actively woo Xabi Alonso<\/a>, potentially offering greater control over recruitment ahead of the impending summer transfer window.<\/p>\n<p>Liverpool are steering themselves to obscurity under Arne Slot<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>To be totally fair to Chelsea, it\u2019s not like Liverpool are miles better at this point in time.<\/p>\n<p>If we\u2019re to achieve Champions League football for the following season \u2013 it will be very much in spite\u00a0of Arne Slot rather than because of the former AZ Alkmaar\u2019s boss\u2019s efforts. Not to mention, thanks in large part to the fact that our competition in and around the top five has been pretty inconsistent this season.<\/p>\n<p>With a critical summer ahead \u2013 in which Liverpool must sign rapid, quality wingers on both flanks \u2013 we can\u2019t afford to keep the same man in the dugout for 2026\/27.<\/p>\n<p>What if we gamble on Slot only for the Reds\u2019 troubles this term to carry on over into the next one? And if we\u2019re all being honest with ourselves, that\u2019s a distinct likelihood.<\/p>\n<p>Signing Yan Diomande and Bradley Barcola won\u2019t change the fact that the head coach has sucked the life out of this Liverpool side and lacks a concrete tactical plan.<\/p>\n<p>Keep this up, and we\u2019ll be lucky to bring in Sean Dyche, never mind a manager of Xabi Alonso\u2019s calibre.<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<\/p>\n<p>\t\tMore Stories \/ Latest News<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.empireofthekop.com\/2026\/05\/11\/funds-are-in-place-sky-sports-drop-liverpool-transfer-update-this-afternoon\/\" title=\"\u2018Funds are in place\u2019: Sky Sports drop Liverpool transfer update this afternoon\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Mo-Salah-Saudi-Pro-League-Sky-Sports-Liverpool-Premier-League.jpg\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-287297 has-webp lazyload\" alt=\"Mo Salah celebrates with Liverpool teammates.\"  data-\/>\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.empireofthekop.com\/2026\/05\/11\/liverpool-timeline-opens-door-for-andoni-iraola-twist-as-future-plan-emerges\/\" title=\"Liverpool timeline opens door for Andoni Iraola twist as future plan emerges\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Andoni-Iraola-Liverpool-Premier-League.jpg\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-287295 has-webp lazyload\" alt=\"Andoni Iraola celebrates with James Hill.\"  data-\/>\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.empireofthekop.com\/2026\/05\/11\/he-has-to-step-it-up-frimpong-sent-warning-by-ex-red\/\" title=\"\u2018He has to step it up\u2019 \u2013 Frimpong sent warning by ex-Red\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/EOTK-FeaturedHero-Image-Templates-18.jpg\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-284290 has-webp lazyload\" alt=\"Jeremie Frimpong substituted off for Liverpool\"  data-\/>\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\t&#13;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Chelsea\u2019s ownership may be prepared to grant Xabi Alonso greater powers of control behind the scenes at the&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":443808,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[61,60,112],"class_list":["post-443807","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/443807","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=443807"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/443807\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/443808"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=443807"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=443807"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=443807"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}